Hi! I'm Jeff Ackley, a Motion Design Director with 15 years of experience at Wieden+Kennedy Portland, where I advanced from a freelance motion designer to leading the entire animation team at one of the largest independently owned creative agencies in the world.

Hi! I'm Jeff Ackley,
a Motion Design Director with 15 years of experience at Wieden+Kennedy Portland, where I advanced from a freelance motion designer to leading the entire animation team at one of the largest independently owned creative agencies in the world.

I bring a rare combination of creative vision, technical fluency, and production strategy, built from years of hands-on animation experience across broadcast, social, 2D, 3D, OOH, AR, VR and experiential. I’ve led award-winning animation campaigns for some of the world's most iconic brands, offering deep creative leadership and hands-on motion expertise to every project.

Hi! I'm Jeff Ackley, a Motion Design Director with 15 years of experience at Wieden+Kennedy Portland, where I advanced from a freelance motion designer to leading the entire animation team at one of the largest independently owned creative agencies in the world.

I understand the full ecosystem:
how to make and produce great work, the technology behind it, how to build and manage teams, and how to collaborate with business affairs, production, and clients to bring it all to life. Whether directing a global campaign, mentoring a team, or solving real-time challenges in the room, I lead with empathy, curiosity, and clarity.

I'm open to lead/director-level roles where animation is central to the storytelling, and where I can help teams unlock their best creative potential.

At the core, I bring passion for craft, clear communication, and a collaborative spirit, always invested in the people and teams I support.

Expertise

Motion Direction / Art Direction

Team Leadership / Mentorship

Animation + Production Strategy

Creative Concepting + Problem Solving

Animation / Video Editing

Style Frame Development

Animation Production Pipelines

Real-Time/AR/VR Workflow Strategies

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

Production Planning / Budget Scoping

Experience

W+K Portland

Head of Animation

04.2024 – 04.2025

Motion Lead

07.2019 – 04.2024

Senior Motion Designer

09.2014 – 07.2019

Motion Designer

11.2011 – 09.2014

Contract Motion Designer

01.2010 – 11.2011

When not in front of a computer,
you can find me...

Overlanding around the West Coast in "Chaco"

Dancing to live music w/ friends, outdoor + camping please

Spending time in the nature

Playing with my best pal aka my dog "BobbyD"

Cooking, and not yet crushing baking

Kayaking, swimming and/or cliff jumping

Traveling the world

Experience

Motion Tactic

Web Designer
Nov. 2020 – Present

Design digital experiences to help high growth Saas companies achieve their goals through creative strategy and technology

Create, re-think, and re-work client visual identities to position them as creative leaders in their field of expertise

Solve UX problems through thoughtful, empathetic problem solving

Design intuitive and purposeful UX/UI experiences to support client goals and objectives

Fervor Creative

Graphic Designer
Oct. 2018 – Nov. 2020

Design logos, brand guidelines, presentations and websites

Spearhead design and execution of front-end website designs that include initial site plans, wireframes, and prototypes

Collaborate with developers to create seamless UX/UI experiences and launch functional websites for both small and large companies

Support clients in on-going design and development of branded print and digital collateral as well as website maintenance beyond launch

Design and produce unique social media content

Work with Directors to clarify project objectives and become subject-matter experts for our clients in a variety of industries (ex: commercial real estate, healthcare and education)

Research current design trends to push the boundaries of branding while also maintaining consistency across multiple customer touch points

Creative Lisence
International

Graphic Designer
Sept. 2014 – April 2018

Worked closely with Creative Director to understand client needs and design appropriate environmental graphics for both decorative and wayfinding purposes in three different home design showrooms

Utilized knowledge of ratios and conversion methods to create specification decks with elevation layouts used to construct and install environmental graphics for five different large scale projects

Maintained and organized project files to enhance team’s productivity and work flow throughout the design and production process

Joybyte

Graphic Design Intern
June 2017 – Sept. 2017

Designed digital marketing campaigns for more than 10 direct-to-consumer small businesses that boosted customer engagement and brand affinity

Designed 10+ logos and corresponding brand guidelines

Collaborated with colleagues to create highly efficient work systems and continuously improve our knowledge and skills in the latest design software

The Enterprise Marketing Hub

Arizona State University
Graphic Designer
Sept. 2014 – Jan. 2017

Collaborated with Creative Director on high profile marketing campaigns that gained national exposure and increased enrollment in several national ranking programs

On-boarded two new student designers to facilitate their understanding of best practices, brand standards, and support their acclimation into the Hub work culture